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rybass08's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Cursing, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Racism
Minor: Animal death
meabird's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Violence and Racial slurs
sareidle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
camortiz26's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Animal death, Murder, Ableism, Death, and Gun violence
Minor: Violence
aritacb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Steinbeck’s storytelling and use of imagery really drew me in but I hated how the characters who were minorities (autistic man, crippled black man, woman, disabled elderly man) who were in some way dehumanized by the other characters - all of whom were physically capable, neurotypical white men. There were moments that Steinbeck brought humanity to the dehumanized characters but to me it just wasn’t fleshed out enough. The main themes of the book could have hit home more if the story had been longer - maybe more indepth backstories to the different characters, how they are viewed by others and more insight to their individual struggles. Those things were touched on but felt so brief for it to have made more of an impact. The humanization of those characters wasn’t emphasized enough, so the derogatory remarks seem more prevalent. Thus, people who hate this book see it as purely discriminatory.
I get why this won a prize; the storytelling was engaging and the plot was poignant but I’m
not crazy on how American literature like this one slings around slurs or depicts specific people groups. I do feel like this book could have been more subversive for it’s time though if Steinbeck had approached the characters differently. Without the rampant use of discriminatory language or the way he conveyed some of the characters (especially Lennie), they could have been understood instead of viewed as inferior.
This is good if you’re trying to read more classics and don’t want anything daunting in verbiage or length. To say this is enjoyable is subjective though because of the controversial content.
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Animal death, and Violence
theabee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Racial slurs, Ableism, and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism, Death, and Violence
diegor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Death, Racial slurs, and Racism
breemortensenxox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Gun violence, and Sexual assault
kearneth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Animal death, Rape, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Sexism
mattyvreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This latest read through was maybe my fifth or sixth time enjoying this short story. Every time I read it, I catch some new detail that I missed the time before.
I am obsessed with the age old question, which might never have an answer. Is “Curly’s wife” named such because Steinbeck was a misogynist, who didn’t care to give her an actual name -or- is that a purposeful statement, pointing to the inherent misogyny of the time and setting and circumstance? If I had to bet, I’d say a little column A, little column B.
(As a side note: damn! Y’all can’t leave Crooks alone?)
Readers beware that this book uses the N word about 56,000 times in a total of 3 pages. (I’m not an idiot. I do understand the unfortunate contextual use within the setting and historical precedent. Still though, as a modern reader, it is jarring to say the least.)
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Misogyny, Ableism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence